The Prohibition Movement In The 1920's

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In the 1830s, Americans drank 3 times as much alcohol as Americans drink today. With alcohol intake at these heights, many Americans grew concerned over the presence of alcohol in American culture and its effects on drinkers and their families. This concern birthed The Prohibition Movement, an American movement during the 1800s and 1900s that heavily stigmatized alcohol and eventually caused it to be banned from production and consumption outright. In short, the prohibition was brought about by a desire for religious betterment, a stronger economy, and better family lives for the average American, but ultimately it caused economic decline and an increase in crime.
The Prohibition Movement began as The Temperance Movement which was fueled by Protestant Church ideals and the efforts of discontented
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The ASL began in the late 19th century as an organization under the leadership of Wayne Wheeler, a business man who intended to employ every tactic available to completely prohibit the production and consumption of alcohol (Why Prohibition?). The ASL allied with every powerful group and figure they could, including Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, the NAACP, the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, and the WCTU. During World War I, there was a growing fear of Germany and the ASL capitalized on this by creating propaganda that tied breweries and beer consumption to Germans. ASL’s propaganda created a societal stigma against alcohol which coupled with ASL’s powerful political and economic connections, making them influential on many levels (Lerner). The ASL took advantage of the influence they had amassed and effectively caused the creation and ratification of the 18th amendment. The 18th Amendment to the Constitution outlawed the production, transportation, and sale of alcohol in the United